God's choice

Posted samedi 16 janvier 2016

God is the same yesterday, today and eternally. Without him, our existence would have no meaning. When God decided to manifest his perfection, he chose to create man in the shape of an earthen vessel to give the light of the knowledge of his glory (cf. 2 Corinthians 4:6). God had no need to express his existence by creating an imperfect world and a man who languishes to be perfect. God acts by free choice, without particular reason. That is why the Scriptures never recall for what “reason” God created the world, but for what “purpose”. Because we could not have been born, we feel both necessary and useless, constantly questioning about the meaning of our existence where we believe: “Without me, nothing goes”. However, we depend entirely upon God, and our existence is merely a possibility. Independence and self-conceit are illusions. We do not exist without God (even if it was only to cause the pulsations of the heart) but God also exists without us. No one else but God absolutely exists. Hence this dilemma: We doubt about the necessity of our existence; whereas deep in our heart we feel, because our soul is a “breath of God”, that we are disposable and necessary as a temporary manifestation of the Lord - the Eternal.Any death recalls that life could go on without us, and that our existence is not necessary. Although it occurs only once for each of us and for many it will not even be painful, the fear it inspires underlines that we are a mere possibility. Death is a dramatic reminder that our life is not a necessity. We do not know what our life will be tomorrow, because we are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away (cf. Jacques 4, 14). Even wealthy, important and indispensable people may die suddenly without warning... When we are no longer useful to God, we cease to exist. The earthly life is transient and unreasonable. Things seem important, but they have no real substance, we can do without. “Futility of futilities, all is futility” underlines the Ecclesiastes. People try to overcome their existential insecurity by accumulating material wealth. However, “the more you have the more you worry.” Because wealth can disappear more easily as you won them. Getting worried to lose what you possess this is the insecurity. As expression of God's free will, our essence is freedom. A freedom we have a “love-hate-relationship” with because it gives us both, pleasures and pains. We love liberty as long as we can do whatever we want but we hate liberty when it reminds us of our insecurity and, what is even more frightening, that we are not necessary. Because nothing makes us do something or not. However, a freedom that consists “to do what we want” clearly shows that our actions are arbitrary and not necessary. If they were necessary, we would no longer have the freedom not to do it. This is what reflects the common excuse: “I had no choice: it had to happen.”To overcome the existential insecurity and sufferings arising out of free choice, some try to know the future in horoscopes and at the fortune-tellers. Others prefer using denial by disclaiming that God created the world and that man is pure possibility. For these revisionists nature expresses the absolute reality. This is a return to the past where the instinct guides the pagans just like animals that have no problem with choice. Moreover, because they considered that some animals were superior to them, they made them into idols. Those who teach that man should follow his instincts are the idolaters of modern times who believe that nature has always been, and that it is a God. This idolatrous vision is at the root of many crimes for which criminals exonerate themselves: “I had no choice, it took me”. Idolatry is not only worship of natural objects or such made by man; it is much more the understanding than it is impudent to stifle the natural inclinations, because to despise natural laws causes the disappearing of man. To idolize the strongest is the logic of nature, which has no mercy for the weak creatures. Is it not natural that the lion eats the gazelle? The Scriptures fiercely denounce idolatry and show how to overcome the natural inclinations rather than succumbing to it. Its moral laws outperform the animal and carnal instincts and desires. The circumcision in the old covenant is, among others, a statement that nature overcomes by spiritual aspirations that respect moral laws. The new covenant it provides the means to overcome existential insecurity by “the baptism of regeneration and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5); the invitation to strive to become “nothings” (what we are essentially), and to give up everything (cf. Luc 14, 33). It is the narrow way of God’s commandments, which leads to life; it lies between the faith that we are absolute, and the faith that we are nothing.